The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) is offering a free flu shot clinic Dec 5th during a special “FightFluTN” statewide vaccination event.
Flu Shot Clinic
Dec. 5th
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1826 Sycamore View Road, Memphis
The vaccine will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis at 1826 Sycamore View Road (former Scan Interiors Building), located off Summer Avenue, close to I-40.
“The flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from seasonal influenza, which can cause serious illness, hospitalization, and even death,” said Shelby County Health Department Director, Dr. Alisa Haushalter. “We are offering the vaccine at no cost to anyone who has not yet been vaccinated, because it can take about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu virus. It is especially important to be vaccinated before the holidays, when travel, parties and family gatherings will enhance the flu virus’s spread throughout the community.”
Annual vaccination against influenza is recommended for everyone six months and older, and is especially recommended for the following individuals:
- Pregnant women
- People 50 years of age and older
- People of any age with chronic medical conditions, including asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes
- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- People who care for those at high risk for complications from influenza, including:
- Health care workers;
- Household contact of persons at high risk for complications from influenza;
- Household contacts and caregivers of children less than six months of age.
The flu vaccine contains inactivated virus, so it cannot cause flu illness. Side effects from the vaccination are usually short-term and mild, and may include soreness at the injection site, low-grade fever, and body aches.
For more information about influenza in Shelby County, please visit the influenza activity webpage at https://www.shelbytnhealth.com/375/Flu-Activity-in-Shelby-County.
